November Rain
by ashley.baby419
Summary: I always hated the November rain. It ruined my plans, froze me to the bone, darkened my days, and was now washing away the blood of my parents. It was washing away any life of them that ever existed. It was bitter, harsh, and frozen. It was the rain that let me learn the way life worked; it was the world's way of teaching me that I was alone now and always would be.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing Sailor Moon.

November Rain

Chapter one:

I was only a high school student, undergoing my last year of it, when my world came crashing down around me. My future had always been so set - my days so predictable - and nothing had ever intervened with that life of mine. Until November 20, 2009. It was only a week from Thanksgiving. I never even suspected anything about my parents. Sure, they were rich and absent for the majority of my life, but that's just how rich parents are. Above all, they were normal people, like any other, and it never went beyond that. Except, it did.

I hadn't known about it and they never bothered to share their lives with me. Yet I would have never found the time to ask, if they would have answered. They were distant and we didn't communicate. The only one of us that bothered to try to contact them was my sister, Mina. She was a year younger than me and held a child-like hope that our older brother, Sammy, and I had lost years ago. If we ever even had any. Despite having children, our parents placed us in one of the most dangerous situations a person could get into. They didn't warn us, didn't protect us, didn't even try... because all along they were the bad people and - maybe, just maybe - they thought if the police would come we'd get a safer life. A place where my siblings and I could grow up right.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them tight. I couldn't believe how miserable my life had become. It was like everything I ever knew was switched around. My parents went from being typical rich people to abnormal drug dealers. Now I was stuck with somebody trying to kill me, a sister in a mental asylum, and a bodyguard who could barely stand to be around me. My mind drifted back to the day it all started. The last day I had genuinely smiled. All my happiness was robbed from me. And the good memories - the one's from before - seemed so completely untouchable that I couldn't even access them. It all started with my parent's return.

"You're going to be the death of me." Mina growled as she bent over, placing her hands right above her knees as she tried to catch her breath. I crossed my arms under my ample chest, cocking my hip to the side, and rolled my eyes at her. "I wasn't built for running. I was built for watching. That's why I date athletes."

"You really do concern me." I sighed.

"It's freezing out here. Can we please go home?"

"Okay." I agreed. Then I felt something cold and wet drip onto me. I placed my palm out to the sky and squinted upwards. In mere seconds, a downpour of freezing cold rain hit. It was nothing but a curtain of water that you could barely see through. My feet took off and I called back my little sister. "Try to keep up."

-0-0-0-

When we finally hit the 'Y' at the long dirt road back at my house, I stopped. It was like my instincts were taking over and I couldn't control what was happening. I stood deadly still and looked around me. I was searching for a sign. I knew something was wrong but I needed confirmation. The only thing I could find were fresh muddy tire tracks that went to and from where our house was located. With the intensity of the rain, they were barely noticeable. The only way I knew was from the deeper puddles.

"There's some tracks." I mumbled.

"Mom and dad are home!" Mina yelped in joy and took off towards the house. Despite her earlier complaints, she managed to find energy from somewhere and was now utilizing it. Luckily I was quick and bolted after her. I grabbed her arm and skidded to a slippery halt while the momentum whipped her body around and caused her to almost fall. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Something doesn't feel right Mina." I replied. We almost had to scream at each other over the sound of the pounding rain. I hated the November rain - hated it with a passion. It was cold and merciless. It would stab at your skin like needles - piercing into sensitive flesh - leaving a numb sting. She was about to argue with me so I grabbed her shoulders and forced her to stay in place. "Go back up the lane and head over to Rae's."

Rae was her annoying best friend. She was the kind of girl who imagined herself to be too good for anybody. It was a surprise her and Mina even got along. Mina was the type of girl who knew she was pretty but didn't care because she was just a nice person underneath it all. Rae was the drinker, the partier, and the promiscuous one. Mina got drug along for the ride. And typically, I wouldn't want Mina to be anywhere near her. Any maybe that's why she listened. Because she knew how much I hated Rae, but I still wanted her to go there instead.

"Okay, but this is stupid. I'm sure it's nothing." She mumbled before turned around and heading back up the lane. I watched her until she was halfway down the road before I hesitantly made my way down the dirt path to our home. I was shaking, from cold and fear. My gut feeling was telling me to follow my younger sibling to her friend's house - at least I would be with her and we'd both be safe. Or maybe the feeling deep within me was just the hatred towards the burning cold rain.

When our house finally came into view I stopped and examined it. It was the same varied gray stone structure and the same charcoal roof and shutters. It was the same perfect landscape despite the rain (which was finally thinning out). There was no sign of a break-in from the front, but the garage wrapped around back and that's where a person would have hidden their vehicle (even though our house was already fairly well hidden). A small amount of relief rushed over me, however. It was my own attempt to calm my nerves and pause the lump in the back of my dry throat from growing.

I exhaled and made my way to the front door. I opened the glass door, then our actual door, and looked around. The place appeared perfectly clean. There was absolutely no sign of anything. Yet I was afraid to call out anything. I was afraid nobody would answer me or, worse yet, somebody else would. Another chill ran down my spine as I slowly and numbly walked up the maple steps. The rain outside began to pick up and thunder down. I was on a mission now and no matter how badly I wanted to spin around, I couldn't.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing Sailor Moon.

November Rain

Chapter Two:

The room seemed dim and musty. Cold and foreign. Unwelcoming. My eyes were swollen, almost impossible to open at this point. I knew they were bright red, along with my nose and cheeks, and I couldn't care less. I sat in the chair hugging my knees to my chest. It was a terrible habit of mine: curling up into a ball, like it would protect me from anything and everybody. And, right now, I needed to not be so vulnerable to life and the truth behind what was happening. My voice was a hoarse, cracking sound. "I told you everything I know. How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

I was beginning to get angry. I knew he was only trying to help me but it was no use. I told him everything I remember. Well, almost everything.

Every room was spotless, except two: my parent's room and my room. There's had broken glass everywhere. Puddles of blood seeping dark circles on the wooden floor and spilling under the bed. Their bodies were dismembered and deformed. I had hit my knees and continuously threw up all over the place. Tears were instant. The rain grew louder - pounding harder. It was like it was trying to collapse the roof down on me... drown me away. I called out to them, again and again, with no answer. I knew they would never answer. Not again...

I had to get away from the scene. I ran into my bedroom and dropped onto my bed. My hand shot out to my nightstand to grab my cell phone and stopped. I froze. There was a binder beside my phone. Should I grab it? Was this a game? Were they watching me? I ignored the binder for now and called the police.

"Why did you tell your sister to go to her friend's house?" The man interrogated me. He was spinning it all back on me. I narrowed my already swollen eyes at him. I couldn't believe he was trying to pin me as the killer.

"Something didn't feel right. I can't explain it. I've never felt that way before. It was like my stomach just dropped. There were tire marks and nobody ever visits. Our maid only comes one time a week, on Tuesdays. All she does is clean whatever Mina and I don't. Our parents have no friends and nobody ever comes over to our house. It's too... empty. Unlived in. We always go to our friends' houses. They're cozier and actually inhabited." My words spilled out. "I was with my sister all day. We weren't even sure if our parents would show up. They claimed they'd be back by my seventeenth birthday. I'm almost nineteen. It's been almost two damn years since I've seen them last. What reason would I have to hurt them?"

"Parental complications cause a lot of problems. Children often become emotional and misguided. We're not saying you're a bad person, Miss Williams. We're not even saying you did anything. We just want you to know that it will be a lot easier to admit to anything now rather than later. We're going to release you to Rae Carter's family until we can figure anything else out. You will be permitted to grab your things from your house that you'll need but there will be an investigating occurring."

"You can't let my sister walk in that house. Tell her that only one person is permitted and because I'm older I get it. You just can't let her. What if she... what if she... sees." I whispered and I fell the burning rush of tears overwhelming me all over again. I covered my mouth with a hand, trying to hold back my desperate gasps. My shoulders shook violently and I felt like everything was crashing around me.

-0-0-0-

We all sat around the large mahogany dinner table in silence. Nobody knew what to say. And, really, there was nothing to say. Rae and her mother seemed awkward while Mina and I were quiet and reserved. That was something new for Mina. She was always a very outgoing personable girl. She never seemed tolerable of silence. I was so different than her. I was a thinker, she was a talker. She was popular, I didn't care what I was. She dated numerous guys, I never desired a boyfriend. I was independent, she needed somebody there for her.

Somebody to comfort her. But I hadn't been, and I wasn't. I wasn't good with emotional situations. I tended to lean away from them. But my sister needed me and I was completely avoiding her. I was completely avoiding everything.

With this realization I scooted my chair back and got up. All eyes were on me and I didn't care. I walked over to my sister and leaned down to give her the biggest hug I could manage. We broke down into a waterfall of tears together and shared our misery. We never had any worries. We were happy with our lives. Neither of us ever acted out like other children did. We didn't have any attention to gain from our parents because they were never around anyway. We did our schoolwork. We were polite and friendly. We went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. We had plenty of money, good looks, and friends. We were never truly deprived in any way (other than parental connection). We both had bright futures...

Now we had grey.

First, it was black. It was terrible and miserable and unbearable. But the initial pain subsides. You eventually start to grow numb to it. You can't cry anymore. Your body runs out of tears. It's black, but it fades away. Now we were empty and cold and grey. We couldn't feel anything. We didn't know exactly what was going on in the world around us. We didn't know where to go with our lives. How could a person just pick up and keep going after they get news that the only relatives they have are dead?

We had grey. And I'd give anything to move past it.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing Sailor Moon.

Author Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. My life got caught up in - well, life. It hasn't been the best month for me. So I'm trying but I'm sorry if my updates start to lag.

November Rain

Chapter Three:

We wait our whole lives for our dreams to come true. Because things are supposed to fall into place. Because that's what Hollywood taught us. Because we don't want to face the reality that some things are just too far - too unbearably untouchable - for us to even catch a glimpse of. I had a common dream: a beautiful log-cabin-style house, land that goes on for days, adorable animals, and a family. But not just any family. I was going to have a man who would rush home to see me, because he couldn't stand the time apart. He would be my other half and need me in his life. He would care. He would love me. And he would never get sick or give up on me. And my children would be the most incredible little creations. They'd be my ultimate blessing.

But then I woke up and realized that I'd always be alone. Through this mess, I learned that things don't go my way. They never did and they never would. I was always different. I was always the one with the bad luck. I was always the one who planned one thing and got the complete opposite. I gave up hope on my parents a long time ago... but I still dreamed of my future.

But, my husband, my children... they would never exist. They would remain only as a fragment of my imagination. They would be something I would hold onto and wish for - only so I'd keep feeling that pain that let me know I was still alive. I wanted the pain to numb. I wanted to grow bitter and cold and not feel a thing. I was tired of the grey, but I was moving back into the black again. And, that was a comparable feeling. Actually, it was worse. I wanted the grey again. Needed it. For the next week of my life after my parent's life, everything went black again. But I kept fighting for that grey.

And finally, I won.

-0-0-0-

"Wanna go for a run?" Mina questioned as she leaned against the doorway of the guest room in the Hock's house. I spent my time in the guest room while Mina and Rae treated it like a prolonged sleepover. Mina was handling everything so well. I figured she would. She was always so quick to bounce back. She would be fine; she always was.

"Sure." I mumbled. Mina hated running, so I appreciated her trying to get me out and active. I had a constant feeling of nausea and couldn't even face my best friend. Lita tried texting and calling me desperately in the beginning, and she was slowly giving up. I couldn't face her. I couldn't face anybody who wanted to talk about my situation. It was the mysterious situation that the cops still had yet to figure out.

I quickly dressed and found both Mina and Rae waiting for me. Rae was busy checking out her perfectly manicured nails and - judging by Mina's own hands - the two of them must have gone to get them done sometime this week. Finally, her dark blue eyes shot up at me. "Do you even know what today is?"

"Friday?" I questioned.

"No. It's Thursday. The Thursday of Thanksgiving. We're having family over. So you better stop acting like such a freak or you better get out of my house." She spat. Mina cowered at her friend's voice and I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't impressed or intimidated by Rae. That always bothered her. And that's why she always loved Mina. Mina was the impressionable one. She was easily molded by anything and anybody around her.

"That's cool. Don't worry, I don't plan on joining you for your precious family dinner." I shrugged, then turned to Mina. "I'm going to go for a run by myself. I'm not interested in spending time around your little demonic friend."

"I can kick you out." Rae threatened.

I walked over to stand right before her and she slunk back. I saw fear flicker over her eyes and her entire tough demeanor was missing. "Do it. I don't care. I don't need you."

"Whatever." She mumbled as she spun away from me. "Mina, she doesn't want our company. Let's do something else. Like fix our hair or something. My cousin is coming over and bringing his super cute friend."

Mina quickly forgot about me with Rae's talk of boys and they both started towards the house. I rolled my eyes. I was jealous that they could be so happy and perfectly fine after everything that happened. I was irritated that I was the one who was so detached from our parents - who had given up all hope on them a long time ago - yet I was the one suffering at their death. It was like I was walking on ice, slipping and sliding, and with every footstep I'd crack the ice - splinter and spider web it. I hadn't broken through, but it was close enough to ruin my life.

I took off running, fueled by fear and jealousy. Despite what my head was screaming, my feet were taking off towards my house. I couldn't stop. I was zoned in and my body was on autopilot. It didn't matter what I wanted or where I wanted to go. I was heading home. My feet smacked the pavement at an unstoppable rate as the scenery around me become a blur. Within seconds (it seemed) I was turned and flying down the old dirt road.

I stopped when I got to the front door. But my hand reached out and turned the knob. There was caution tape strung across the entire area. Apparently there was nothing left to find in my house because nobody was there. At least, that's what it looked like.

I opened the door and walked inside, looking around quickly. Something didn't feel right. "Hello?" I called out, hopeful that there would either be no answer or that a cop would reveal himself. I heard footsteps making their way towards me slowly, from the kitchen. I sighed and put a hand over my heart. "Oh thank God, something didn't feel right but -"

I froze. I thought I was talking to a cop but the person in view clearly wasn't one. He was tall and broad - covered in camouflage - and had a black ski mask pulled down over his face. He made a sharp move towards me so I turned on my heel and bolted out of the door. I flew - bursting into the woods - and felt the growing distance between the two of us. Thorns tore at my legs and arms. I gritted my teeth in pain but ignored it.

Moments later, I dove into the bright light of a clearing near Rae's house. I had finally made it to the main roads. My entire body was aching. I didn't want to move but I didn't want to be found either. Exhausted and hurt, I picked myself up from the ground and limped towards Rae's house. Every ounce of pain I had ignored before was now upon me full force.

There were a cars making their way to her house by now. The people getting out of them looked just as fancy and perfect as the Hock family. And they stared at me like I was some sort of wild animal. I ignored them and went inside their place. It was beautifully decorated and smelled amazing. But that wasn't my concern. I walked up the stairs while people stared at me and met Rae and Mina at the top. Rae's mouth dropped open at my appearance.

"There was somebody in our house." I whispered. "He... he was dressed in camo with this ski mask on his face. I don't know why I went back. But he... he tried to get me. I don't know why or what he wanted, but he came after me."

"I'll call the police." Mina mumbled and left to retrieve her phone.

"Are you alright?" Rae asked. I was in shock. I didn't know the girl could even attempt to be nice yet here she was in the flesh and blood asking if I was alright. And Hell must have frozen over because it was genuine. I nodded. "You should probably take a shower and stuff. Mina and I will fix you up quick."

-0-0-0-

A half an hour later we all made our way down the stairs. They had thrown me in a figure-hugging black dress with high heels and loose curls cascading down my back and pouring over my shoulders. I had no will to fight so I gave them complete control over my body, makeup, and hair. I've never seen two girls look so happy before. It was like I was their personal Barbie doll that they could fix up.

"Don't you three look absolutely gorgeous?" Mrs. Hock smiled as she walked over to embrace each one of us. Despite how cruel her daughter could be, Mrs. Hock was probably one of the nicest people I had ever met in my life. She paused as me and placed a hand on my cheek. "You're stunning Serena."

"I handed myself over to Rae and Mina. Otherwise I'd look like a train wreck still." I smiled lightly. It wasn't really a true smile. It was more of a try-hard smile. But I did feel better knowing that I looked good. And, I really did look good. The dress showed off my slim waist, shaped butt, and large breasts while exposing my long shapely legs. I kind of owed them for the confidence booster that was allowing me to get through this day. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

I helped Mrs. Hock set the dinner table - the very, very large one - while Mina and Rae took their seats and instantly connected with the younger boys there. When I was done helped I took the seat next to Mina and gave her an inquisitive look. "So, what are we talking about?"

Her face instantly turned over a bright crimson color and I couldn't help but smirk a little bit. I couldn't help but notice that the boy across from her was also blushing a little bit. Time to be the annoying big sister. I reached a hand over the table towards him. "Hi, I'm Serena - Mina's big sister - and I don't believe we've ever met. However, you two seem to know each other well."

"Uh, Andrew. And we hung out a couple of times." He responded. He really was an attractive guy. He had olive skin and a light sprinkle of freckles over his cheeks and nose with sandy blonde hair and sea green eyes. He was lean and not overly muscular. He looked like the kind of guy who you'd find on the beach all day.

"Serena, huh? That's a pretty name." The one other boy spoke up quickly. My eyes flicked over and an instant electric wave ran down my spine. I ignored it. But he was undeniably sexy. He had a muscular build with a broad chest and wide shoulders that became lean near his waist and dark hair that was either black or the deepest shade of brown. But the best part was his eyes. He had these stormy midnight blue eyes. They were dark but bright. "I'm Darien, by the way."

"Oh no. I don't play the game where you distract me to get me off of your friend's tail. Now I'm even more curious than I was five seconds ago."

"I'm sorry but I don't understand." He remarked, pretending to be shocked.

"You'll have to forgive my brother. He always acts as Andrew's distractions. I'm Seiya." Another boy smiled and extended an arm towards me. He looked like Darien in a lot of ways but he was slightly less muscular and had a clean shaven head while Darien had a fohawk style in a sense.

"Thanks for the supporting evidence." I shook his hand. Then, my attention was back on Mina. "So how exactly do you know each other?"

"We hung out a couple times. Mostly at parties and stuff. Rae is crazy into his friend, Chad." Mina mumbled.

"Unfortunately, Chad is a relationship kind of guy. He's not interested in random hook-ups all the time." Darien spoke up and sent a stern look towards Rae. "He really likes you, Rae, and you shouldn't keep dragging him on like this."

"You met a boy at a party?" I raised an eyebrow. "You never told me about any parties. I knew Rae was always into that sort of thing but I didn't think it was your style. Exactly how many parties have you been to?"

"What does it matter? You should be more concerned about the fact that you never do go to any." Mina concluded.

"I work and study." I retorted. "Well, I did. I haven't ever since... nevermind." Her eyes dropped and so did mine. I didn't even think about what I was saying. "I'm sorry. I wasn't... just... I work, okay. And parties are just a gateway into every bad influence you'll ever meet in your life. Drugs you don't need, friends that will turn on you, and boys that will promise one thing and do another."

"That's very hateful to say." Darien commented.

"Yet hatefully true."

"Look I can handle myself, Serena. I don't need you around to protect me all the time. Just stay out of my life for once!" Mina raised her voice, causing silence and people to look over our way. Then the table started vibrating and we all glanced down at Mina's phone. She drew her eyebrows together and picked it up. "Hello?"

Her eyes widened with fear and her bottom lip and jaw began to quiver. Tears drew into her eyes and her face fell pale. "No... no... NO!"

She dropped the phone and ran.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I'm sorry it's taking so long to update. I was really onto this story and then life happened. I'm trying to get back on track but it's just rough at this point. Just a lot of stuff all crashing down on me at once but it's starting to lighten up it seems so, fingers crossed!

November Rain

Chapter Four:

Everybody breaks, at some point in their life. Everything eventually gets too much. It's too heavy to hold any longer; it's not worth it. You're mentally shutting yourself off from the world. There are two types of people who break: those who break constantly, keeping themselves at pace and warning you of what's to come, and those who break suddenly. The sudden breakers you never see coming. You think they're fine, they act like they're fine then - one day, for absolutely no reason - they lose it all. Mina was consistent. She let her emotions show. She was boiling water. You know, how it spills out over the top but you can see and hear it so you have time to stop it.

I shot up out of my chair and briskly walked over and up the stairs, following my younger siblings trace. I rounded the corner to Rae's doorway in no time and found Mina curled up in a ball on the floor. Her eyes had instantly become puffy and red from crying I noticed as she slowly lifted her head. No tears fell, her face was expressionless. Her voice was a mere whisper. "We're all going to die."

"No." I growled angrily as fire burned inside my veins. I would not have somebody tormenting my sister. I would not have anybody lay a single finger on her flawless little self. I would not let anything happen to anybody. Yet, did I have a choice? I dropped to my knees and hugged her close to me, placing my chin on top of her head. "Nothing is going to happen; nobody is going to die."

I was making promises I couldn't keep and Mina knew that. She didn't say anything though - she just let it slip past the way a short breeze does in summer. That fleeting moment when you feel something coming, but it passes and life continues. There was a tapping at the doorway and I turned my gaze to see the one boy, Darien, from earlier. His eyes flicked between my younger sibling and I. "Is everything alright here?"

Shortly after he asked, Rae, Andrew, and Seiya came up behind him.

"No. I need to get away. I need to go. They're listening. They're watching." Mina mumbled as she pushed away from me to stand up. We watched as she paced around the room, repeating "they're listening, they're watching" numerous times. And nobody knew what to do. We just watched her, all of us in a trance. I'd never seen somebody go so mentally unstable in front of such a crowd, and I was positive that's what the others were thinking. I stood up, not sure whether to reach out to her or not.

"Everything is going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen."

She stopped and stared at me. It wasn't my sister looking, it was a stranger. It was almost like something took possession of her. I wasn't even quite sure who was standing before me anymore. The entire situation was eerie and I had half a mind to leave the room. Goosebumps pricked at the back of my neck, shooting down my arms and legs. It was a rush of cold fear. I was waiting for her to launch herself at me and scratch and scream and bite and thrash herself about but it never came. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at me.

"They didn't kill you because they weren't finished with you yet." She spat. Suddenly I felt like a four year old child being scolded. She advanced on me, pushing her face right up to mine with that same glare on her face. I didn't move. I never backed down and I wasn't going to start now. "God, you can be so ignorant sometimes. You don't know anything. You don't know what you're doing with your life. You don't know who I am. You think I'm some angel but I'm not. I'm not you. Don't try to make me your little perfect clone. I will be happy and have fun and you're going to live out your life as an old, bitter, virgin... if you can make it to old age."

"I was just trying to protect you... from the world. I just wanted you to save yourself for somebody who deserved you. I didn't want you to be me. You could never be me. You're you. You're my opposite. You're my little sister. And I love that. I just... I wanted to look out for you." I spoke. It was barely above a whisper but something inside of me felt too broken, to empty, to raise it any louder. The lump in my throat was dry and growing. I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw myself onto my bed at home, bawl my eyes out, and wake up from this nightmare. No. I didn't even want to be me anymore. I wanted to be somebody else. Somebody happy and carefree. But I wasn't the type to cry. So I studied her face one last time before I turned away and made my way through the small crowd at the doorway.

Somebody caught my arm gently, causing me to stop and spin around. I found myself looking into those damned deep eyes again. They were a mystery. There was so much emotion in them, but I couldn't figure out what it was. They were hypnotic. And so was his voice. It was deep, but not too deep, with the same hint of country twang my own tone held. "Hey, are ya alright?"

"Yeah, I'm always fine."

He laughed lightly at this. He had an amazing laugh. And those dimples were absolutely gorgeous. And then there was the way he dropped his head down and to the side when he did it - like he used to be a shy kid and never quite broke the habit. "Nobody is _always_ fine."

"You've never met me before." I shrugged.

"Touché." He walked over to fall in step with me as we made our way back to the stairway. "But I wouldn't mind getting to know you." I shot a glare at this point and he placed his palms in the air near his chest and raised his eyebrows in a sign of 'surrender'. "I didn't mean it like that! What I mean is that you clearly are having some problems here. And if somebody is looking for you, they'll know where to look. What I'm suggesting is that you get to know me and you and your sister can stay at my house. I know it sounds a little crazy but Andrew rents out a little apartment building close by and he's closer than you know with your sister."

"I appreciate the offer but it's something I'm going to need to think about. There's a lot going on right now and I have to think of what the best choice would be for her. And, no offense, but it's not exactly the time I want to start trusting strangers. I mean, I've never even heard anything about you until today." I pointed out.

"None taken. And I understand, I just figured I'd throw that out there. The offer stands at any time, too. If I leave in a couple days and you change your mind, you two can come with us. If I leave in a couple of days and you don't want to take that chance, you two can stay here. That's not your deadline. I just want you to realize we'll be staying here for two days before we head home and it's a longer trip so I might not be able to get you until the day after you want me to." Darien explained.

"Then I guess I better figure it out quick, huh?" I sighed as we made it to the bottom of the stairway.

"You take all the time you need, darling. Sometimes two days can feel like two minutes, other times it feels like two years. You want my advice? Start praying for a sign. God wouldn't let you down, you just have to trust him." His eyes flicked down to the diamond cross that touched the top of my bust, then met my eyes again. "Either way, you'll figure it out. You're a smart girl."

"You don't even know me." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Touché. But I wouldn't mind getting to know you." He repeated his line from earlier. Which, was kind of cute. Most guys don't remember stuff like that. I smile slightly, bite my lip, and dropped my head. Because it was a terrible habit of mine. "Besides," he spoke up and I looked at him again, positive I was slightly blushing, "sometimes you just know things."

Mrs. Hock met me by my seat as Darien rounded to his side of the table. "Is everything alright, dear?"

"Yeah, it's alright. I'm sorry about that." I frowned.

"Oh, no. No apologies. You girls are going through a lot." She replied as she pulled me into a hug. "We're just making small talk until you kids are all ready."

As if on cue, the other three came bounding down the steps. Mina was certainly looking better. She was talking to Rae and Rae was listening intently. It was weird. I never thought Rae could manage to be a sincere person, yet here she was being Mina's cure. They bonded in a way I couldn't understand. They were closer than friends - closer than sisters even. And it was odd because I didn't have that relationship with anybody. Sure, I had Lita, but I drew away from here the moment things got rough for me. Because I wasn't the type to sit and talk about my feelings and situations. Mina was. And she and Rae were two pieces to the same puzzle. And Andrew was right there, too, watching the two girls as if he had to make sure nothing would happen.

Is this how people were when they actually lived? I was trying to be this perfect girl so I could marry a respectable man someday, yet here I was alone in the world while my baby sister bonded. She had something inside of her that allowed her to bond, she wasn't being held back by unconscious trust issues. She wasn't afraid of getting attached and getting hurt. She took chances and prospered while I sat in my safe haven and suffered.

Maybe, some people are just meant to be alone. Maybe it allowed for a balance in the world. Just like if good exists, evil has to. Ying and yang, right? Maybe I was just put here on Earth so that other people could truly see and appreciate their own lives. Because - no matter what happened - they would never be as alone as me.

This was my path; this was my life.


	5. Chapter 5

Author Note: Huge thanks to the people who review - that's what actually gives me the motivation to write despite the storms life brings.

November Rain

Chapter Five:

"Why are you always gone?" I asked. I looked up at my parents from my place on the small, child-sized table. Sammy stopped coloring abruptly and locked his focus onto our parents as well. He had large, soft brown eyes that were filled with curiosity and my own blue ones were wide and waiting.

I couldn't quite distinguish the look on their faces at that time, but I debated it in the years to come. There was pain and guilt and something else... there was a mystery all the same. They were hiding something from us that they never would speak of.

"We just have things to do, sweetheart." My mother answered after a couple moments. Even as young as I was, I learned to never ask why. It never got me anywhere. They never truly answered everything and I was always spinning in circles.

My mother was a tall woman with bleached blonde hair and large brown eyes. She had the appearance of a model with her structured yet soft face, flawless skin, and perfect teeth. She was thin yet curvaceous with thick, shiny locks that traveled to her mid-back. My father was a tall man as well, with a broad build and chiseled look. He was your typical tough guy with tanned skin, ice eyes, a five 'o clock shadow, and light brown hair.

"I think it's time for bed." He replied as he looked at the clock.

"I don't want to go to bed." Sammy mentioned as we both resumed our coloring.

"And why not?" My mother's tone spoke up happily. She was probably smiling. Her and dad always smiled, especially when it came to us.

"Because you'll be gone tomorrow." I answered for him. I didn't really think about what I said, it just came out. I was a child and that's what children do: they answer honestly and don't consider the fact that the truth hurts. And, at the time, I was too young and naive to notice the tension and disappointment I had created.

-0-0-0-

They were. Sammy and I woke up the next morning to find that they had taken off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. We were never given explanations, just told that it was always work related. Mina was a mere toddler who was always getting into something. She didn't have the bond that Sammy and I did. And maybe that's why she was better off now.

Mina made bonds with people outside of family. She made bonds with people who she could keep in her life no matter what. I made a bond with an older brother who packed up and left home without a trace one day. Everybody always left, it was how the world worked. And I couldn't be upset at him for leaving. Our house wasn't a home. Yet without him I felt empty and alone, and it only grew in the years after his assumed runaway. I had trust issues.

And, now, I had to decide whether or not I wanted to climb in a vehicle with a complete stranger - dragging my sister along with me - or not. It could be our safe haven or our hell. The police were still skimming on details about my parent's case with me. It wasn't getting anywhere fast. And they claimed to have found no trace of anybody except for me the day I snooped around. They did, however, feel the authority to tell me I shouldn't be hanging around a crime scene.

A crime scene.

To me, though, it wasn't a crime scene. It was my house. It was the place where I grew up (for the most part, even though I tried to get out as much as possible). It was the place where I actually got to see my parents. They never went anywhere else with us, they never took us anywhere... that was always our nanny's job.

I sat at the edge of the guest bed, chewing at my lower lip and trying to make my mind up. It was so difficult. I had too much going on. Then there was a knock on the opened door and I looked up to find Mrs. Hock. "There's somebody here to see you, Serena."

I drew my eyebrows together in curiosity. Who the heck would want to visit me? Nevertheless I thanked my hostess and made my way downstairs. At the end of the stairway stood a tall girl with long brown hair and forest green eyes. She shifted nervously and I wasn't sure what to do. I had managed to avoid Lita for the longest time. Until now.

"I'm sorry I just wasn't ready and -"

"It's fine." She cut me off quick. She looked anxious. "Can we talk?"

I nodded and followed her out the front door.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I think there's somebody watching me. And I know it sounds crazy, but I'm serious. I keep finding these little notes everywhere I go: on my car, through my house, in the drive way... It's really freaking me out." Her voice was choking with fear.

"Did you tell anybody?" I asked, beginning to panic. Lita shook her head furiously. "Why not? You need to let somebody know."

"I'm just so scared. And one of them told me to not say anything." He finally broke down and started to cry. I quickly wrapped my arms around her. "I'm so scared, Serena. I don't know what's going on or what's going to happen."

"Nothing is going to happen." I said sternly.

"You can't protect her." A stoic voice spoke up.

We both shot our eyes towards the pathway where Mina and Rae were walking towards us. There was the rush of cold fear again; the goosebumps where back. And that look in Mina's eyes... the one she started only directing towards me... that was there, too.

"Shut up, Mina, now is not the time." I growled.

"It's never the time for people like you." She rolled her eyes and snickered.

I was starting to get furious. Mina wouldn't say anything to me, she'd just glare, for the past two days and now she was trying to freak my closest friend out. She was a completely different person than I had ever known and I wasn't too crazy for the person I was meeting.

"What is wrong with you?" I let go of Mina and walk towards her.

She brushed past me. "I've decided to live my own life. You've done enough of controlling for a lifetime. Now I'm close to death and I deserve to live."

"You're not close to death."

"And you're stupid if you believe that."

I slammed her up against the door and for the first time in a while her attitude changed. Her eyes grew wide with fear and now I was the one narrowing my blues in disgust. She was scared and I knew it. Which was good. At least I knew she still have some emotion for me - even if it was fear. "You say what the hell you want to me but don't you dare try to get into anybody else's mind. Lita has nothing to do with this."

"I didn't say she did. I was just warning you." She whispered quietly.

"Get away from us. Now." I demanded as I stepped back, allowing her to move. Quicker than ever she slipped inside the door and Rae quickly ran around me to follow her best friend with her head down. Great, so now I was Medusa.

"What if she's right?" Lita questioned and I turned my attention back to her. Why did everybody expect me to have the answers? I didn't know anything. I didn't have an answer. And, maybe, Lita knew I wasn't going to answer. Maybe she was asking herself. She spoke up again. "I'm leaving. Tonight. I told my parents I was hurt from the situation between you and me - which I'm not, because I know this is how you handle things - so I need to spend time with my Aunt and Uncle in Colorado. It'll get me away from here - keep me safe... I think. But I just wanted to let you know because if somebody is watching me, then they're probably watching you."

-0-0-0-

Now I was staring down at my cell phone. A text message lit up on my screen two minutes ago and I still wasn't sure what to do. I sat on the guest bed and stared at it. Mina informed me that she would be leaving with Andrew and Darien - that it was her life and I didn't have a say in the decisions she was making. I couldn't argue it, she was right. It was her life.

So now did I just let her go?

I sent my own reply back and sat the phone down.


End file.
